With Nor Without You
by fleshbandit
Summary: They wove in and out of each other's lives every now and then but still together like a thread. She was everything Uta loved and hated and he was the same to her. She has returned to him but for how long? Uta x OC (M for Lemon and will follow canon for a bit)
1. Chapter 1

**Ch 1 - Aggression and Chaos**

Uta stood at the bottom of the stairs, facing the front door of his mask shop but unable to bring himself to unlock it just yet. His hand was already in his pocket, clutching the key, but he found himself unable to move. If one passed by and managed to spot him under the shadow casted over him by the upper level, they would think that he was lost in his thoughts. His face was at its usual blank position and his stance was drooped. However, internally, his heart was playing a wild dance.

He enjoyed standing at this spot at this particular time of day. The drunk inhabitants on this street were either starting to wake up from their previous night's romp or just returning from it. They caused a ruckus wherever they went, either with strangers or whoever they were returning home to. Uta could always count on a couple bottles smashing and colorful profanity. The clubs and seedy bars were getting ready for service and their neon signs started to flicker while the heavy base of their music rumbled through the walls and floors. The neon signs took away the shadow and projected their artificial color over Uta's pale skin. The smell of alcohol, vomit, and garbage lingered in the air.

Everything about this street, this spot that Uta stood in, this exact moment, was aggressive and chaotic. Uta took great pleasure in it.

Finally, he pulled out his key and brought it to the door. The key stopped just a breath short of going into the lock. Uta looked at it and sniffed the air. He felt the corner of his lips wanting to turn upwards but they remained where they were. In one smooth motion, he fitted the key, unlocked the door, and entered his shop.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked around. All of the mannequins were exactly where they should be, perched on top of golden stools and facing the right hand wall. They wore his most ornate masks with unabashed confidence. The other ones sat in either glass cases or were lined along the wall. Nothing was out of place. There wasn't even a speck of dust on his red and white tiled floor.

Uta sniffed the air once more and then briskly crossed the room towards the back office. He pushed it open and stood under the frame. His already casual posture relaxed even further when his eyes rested on a worn leather suitcase placed right by his mini fridge. Papers were poking out of the sides despite the latch being firmly secured at the top of the suitcase. Then his eyes drifted over to his bed and finally he allowed his lips to turn upwards ever so slightly.

A familiar bare back greeted him with a hint of a vertebrae pushing up against the pale skin that Uta knew to be beautifully soft. He walked to the side of his bed and he ran a finger down the spine, feeling the skin and enjoying the shiver that it caused. He only stopped when he reached the waist, where the blanket started to cover the body. Uta reached back up and twirled a long tendril of hair around his finger. He pulled at it ever so slightly to get a feel of it's elasticity before releasing it to rejoin the rest of the hair that fell like a wavy pink waterfall down her porcelain back.

There was a deep sigh and then the person turned onto her back. Her eyes opened and her dark blue shade locked into Uta's blood red. Her pouty pink lips opened ever so slightly and then they broke into a genuine smile. "Surprise," she said almost in a breathless whisper.

Uta wordlessly shrugged off his jacket, letting it fall to the floor, right next to her pile of clothes. Soon his shirt and pants followed as well. He crawled right on top of her before slowly putting his whole weight on her.

"You changed your hair," Uta whispered. He began to wrap handfuls of it around his wrist while he kissed her neck. Using his other hand, he moved down her body where her hand was all ready waiting. She allowed him to place her hand over her head and he held it there.

"Do you like it?" she gasped as he gave her hair a sharp tug, pulling her face towards him. He caught her lips with his and hungrily ran his tongue over hers.

Her breath caught in her chest and he felt her nipples graze over his. His hand freed itself from her hair and he ran it up and down her side, using his sense of touch to admire every curve and valley of her flesh.

"Ah," he breathed against her lips just as her tongue slipped into his mouth, hovering just a moment to taste the metal of his piercing. His eyebrows raised when her eyes turned black and her blue eyes became red. Her hands freed themselves from him and suddenly he found himself on his back with her taking his place.

"I missed you," she whispered as her hands stroked his waist. Then it moved up and she traced a finger along the words on his neck, "Is this new?"

"No," he said. He grabbed her by the wrist and switched their positions again. His lips returned to hers as he pressed her against the bed and he devoured her protests. It was not her turn yet and they both knew it. Still, Uta enjoyed her teasing both with her body and her words. His hand moved to the back of her neck and pushed her head off the pillow to intensify their kiss. The ink on the front of his neck was identical to the one on the back of hers.

When he broke the kiss, her lips were swollen and glistening with a mix of their saliva. He dropped her head back down on the pillow and then moved himself lower and lower. With every few inches he moved, he took a soft bite against her flesh, allowing his teeth to press against but not puncture the skin. He stopped when he was at the crevice of her womanhood. He blew a soft breath towards it and watched how it made her squirm with anticipation.

He brought his lips to her and as she arched her back, his hands went to help support it and to secure her in place. His tongue was gentle at first but with every lick, he added a bit more force. Her labored breaths matched his rhythm until finally she let out a small moan. "Uta-kun..."

He dropped his hand, allowing her to fall back on the mattress and then moved it to where his chin was. Her hand gripped a wad of the falling blanket as his fingers slipped inside her and he licked her most sensitive nub simultaneously.

"Uta-kun!" This time her moan was breathier but much more forceful. Her hand moved to his shoulder and she dug her nails in.

Uta jerked back, freeing her from his control, when she drew blood. He stared at her as she licked the blood off of her nails with her eyes still locked in his. When she was done, she knelt on the bed and crooked her finger at him. "Come."

He crawled to her and her hands went to the sides of his face, drawing him in for another kiss. They both sat up on their knees, pressing their chests together as his hands went to cover her face as well. He could not get enough of her taste, her shape, her everything. He was a man starved and she was a feast long overdue. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her even tighter to him.

"Where were you this time?" he asked, his voice low and almost breathless.

"Mmmm," she said as she shook her head, allowing the movement to brush her lips against his, "No."

Her hands reached behind her and pulled his arms away from her. She was as strong as he remembered her to be. While still holding onto his wrists, she flipped him around so that his head was on the pillows and lying flat on the bed. She held both of his hands over his head and planted a soft kiss between his shaved brows, his nose, and then finally his lips.

She bit his lower lip and then sucked it as she would a hard candy. She released it with a pop and then ran a tongue along his jaw line. One of her hands came down to cup his neck, feeling every ragged breath he drew in. Her head continue to lower and she traced her tongue along the letters they shared. As she moved to the second line on his neck, her hand went lower. Her fingers wrapped slowly around his heated manhood. He drew in a breath as she began to move her hand in sync with her tongue.

When she was done, she moved herself to where her hand was. Her hot breath blew over him and his stomach tightened. Her eyes wandered over to his defined abdomen for a moment and then she opened her mouth. Uta almost sat right up if not for a strong push back from her as she wrapped her lips and tongue over and over again around him.

"Ki...Ki-chan," he groaned as his hands reached out to grab whatever part of her he could. Without pausing or even looking up, her hands came up to meet his. Their fingers locked and she allowed him to pull her towards him.

He sat up with their fingers and lips still intertwined. He savored their grip on each other before he freed his hands and wrapped his arms back around her waist, hoisting her up ever so slightly. Wordlessly and with their gaze fixated on each other, her arms wrapped around his shoulders as her legs wrapped around his waist. Their hearts pounded against each other. She broke their eye contact and buried her face in his neck as he lowered her onto him. He heard her exhale and felt the relieved breath against his skin when he was fully inside her. She always loved the beginning. Almost as much as the end.

"Uta-kun..." He felt his name against his skin more than he heard it. He turned his head so that his nose was buried in her slightly damp hair. He moved his hands to her bottom, cupping the rounded flesh, and then pushing it up. It was slow enough for both of them to enjoy the feeling of flesh slicked against flesh. He then stopped putting any pressure in his hands, allowing her to naturally fall back in place. Before he could bring her back up again, she moved on her own. Her pace was much faster and much more forceful than his.

"Ki...Ki-chan," he panted as she let go of his shoulders and leaned back on her hands. His own fell limply to his sides. She bit her lip and arched her back as she quickened her pace even more. With every rise and fall of her hips, he could feel himself losing control. His sweat soaked hair fell in front of his face. His lips were unable to close, waiting for her tongue to return to where it belonged. His vision of her was blurring with passion and heat. He could feel her core tightening around him, beckoning for release.

His hands moved up to hold her in place by the waist. Her hands went to cover his and her fingers dug into his as he slammed her down on him over and over again with the aggression they both needed. Her moans turned into cries and then her cries turned into screams. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her toes curled. He pounded into her until his own arms gave out and he had to release her. She collapsed onto the bed and he leaned over her, situating his member just at the brink of her hot, moist flesh.

He delicately kissed her between the brows, the nose, and then the lips before plunging into her once more. She screamed his name as he pumped into her with even more ferocity than before. He was not going to stop. He couldn't.

"U..Uta-kun...Now...NOW!" she screamed as he felt her body convulse just as he reached his peak. He flattened himself against her, feeling her softening beneath him as he erupted inside her.

Heart beats and sweat mixed together while they tried to catch their breath. They were a tangle of limbs but neither of them wanted to move. Finally, he lifted his head to look at her. Her eyes were back to the darkened blue but her lips were still red and swollen. The last lingering marks of their union. She brushed a finger against the side of his face and she smiled.

"Welcome back," he said softly.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," she whispered.

Uta finally broke into a soft smile. "No, you're not."

"No...I'm not..." she said as she tilted her head up for another kiss, "But I did miss you."

"I missed you too."

She looked up to plastic alarm clock that sat dangerously close to the edge of a desk that was completely covered in scattered sketches. It was usually left spotless and clear with everything kept in the drawer.

"What time do you open?" she asked.

He blinked. "Not for another three hours...but I have a private client coming in in 10 minutes."

She giggled and bit the tip of her thumb. "Whoops."

"It's okay," he said as he begrudgingly pulled himself away from her. He got up to his feet and picked up his clothes. He was about to turn and head for the bathroom when she reached out and grabbed him by the wrist.

"Want company?"

"No," he said.

She withdrew her hand and she nodded, unhurt and unaffected by his rejection. "Okay."

He walked to the bathroom door and opened it while staring back at her. "I want you."

She giggled and jumped off the bed. She skipped past him and into the shower. "Who is the client?" she asked as she turned on the water and allowed the cold to hit down her back, "May I draw him?"

Uta stepped in to join her, leaving the bathroom door wide open. "I don't know. He's new," he said as he pressed himself against her so that the water can get to both of them, "You'll have to ask yourself."

She wiped the water away from her eyes and then ran her hands down her flattening pink hair. "Okay. I will."

His hand went up to touch the part of his shoulder where she drew blood. He felt the sting against his flesh and he rewarded her with a kiss. She was aggression and chaos...He took great pleasure in her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch 2 - Curiosity & Indifference**

"Uta-san?"

Akiko's head tilted to the side but she kept herself bent over her knees as she sandwiched her hair in between her towel and then twisted the fabric around her hair, wrenching out as much moisture as she could.

"Hello?"

Akiko righted herself up, with the towel folded tightly around her head and another towel wrapped around her body, and she grinned at the door that separated her from the voice. She knew the person that just walked into Uta-kun's shop. She liked that person.

"Geez, could he be asleep?"

Akiko giggled. Uta-kun was probably hiding underneath a cloth and posing as one of his mannequin. She liked it when he was in a playful mood.

"Boo!"

"Ahhhhh!"

Akiko felt the loosely tucked towel fall from her body but she didn't bother to pick it up off the damp bathroom floor. Uta-kun might not appreciate her cluttering up his usually immaculate space but she didn't care. Her head had tilted to the side again at the new voice and her grin turned into a thoughtful pout.

This voice was new. He must be the new customer.

With that thought, she dressed as quickly as she could while she heard chatter in the shop. She buttoned up her white shirt with a long, red ruffle down the front. Her fingers ran through the front like a concert pianist playing a scale. Then she tucked her shirt under a red, A-line skirt. The hem swished against the bottom of her knees as pulled off the towel and shook her damp, pink curls loose only to pile them up in to a messy bun at the top of her head. She didn't bother with her sandals and just skipped towards the door, while swiping up a small black notebook and a pencil when she passed by Uta's desk. A few of her sketches fell to the floor but she paid them no mind either.

"Uta-kunnnn. Touka-channnn!" Akiko sang out as she flung the door open and skipped into the shop. The shopkeeper was situated at his work desk, placed in the back corner of the room, with his chair swiveled outwards so that he could talk to the two customers standing in front of him. He looked blankly back at her while both customers stared at her with widened eyes. One pair was of confusion and fear while the other was of surprise.

Akiko stood several feet away from them. She extended her arm she held out her pencil length-wise. She closed one of her eyes and lined the pencil against the surprised customer. "Touka-chan, you got taller."

"Akiko-san?," Touka whispered and then she blinked, "You changed your hair again."

"Yep. I got bored with having it blue and straight. Do you like it?," Akiko asked with her pencil still measuring up the girl, who was starting to look confused herself.

"When...when was your hair blue?" Touka asked back, "The last time I saw you, it was short and blonde."

"Oh...I thought I was here last month...Was I not?"

"It's been over a year," Uta stated monotonously, "We haven't seen each other in over a year."

"Oh," was all Akiko said as she moved her pencil to the boy with the eye-patch, the new customer, "And you are?"

"Oh! I-I'm Kaneki. Nice t-to meet you," the boy stammered. His arms flattened tightly against his sides and he gave a slight bow towards her.

Akiko pout came back to her lips and she brought her pencil to them. She tapped it against them while her eyes scanned the boy a little more closely. Behind her subject, the mask maker sniffed Kaneki's back.

"You smell...unusual," Uta murmured but before Kaneki could react, Uta's attention was somewhere else, "Touka-san, I understand the doves are on the prowl."

Touka's eyes became downcast and she folded her arms over her chest. "Yes."

Uta kept his attention on the girl while he grabbed Kaneki by the shoulder with a tattooed hand. He spun Kaneki around to face him and sniffed his front with his red eyes still glued onto Touka. "The 20th ward is nice and quiet and they used to leave you alone," he said and closed his eyes to give Kaneki's scent more of his attention, "I'm guessing this has to be the effect of Rize-san."

Touka nodded. "Tsukiyama seems to be pressing his luck lately too."

"Eehhh?" Akiko breathed quietly as she moved her pencil back up against her vision of Kaneki, "Rize-san? Tsukiyama-san? Are they causing trouble? Did they get into a quarrel?"

The fact that the woman was not aware of the recent situation baffled Touka just as much as her sense of time but Uta seemed to take it all in stride. "I can fill you in later, Ki-chan."

Akiko lowered her pencil and she smiled. "Okay."

"I...I didn't realize the 20th ward was considered a peaceful place," Kaneki said.

"You live somewhere else for a bit and you'll find out," Uta replied and then pulled Kaneki lower so that they were eye level, "If you want, you can stay here overnight. If you're lucky, you may see some cannibalism. That's always fun."

Kaneki tried to pull back but Uta's hold on him was too strong. "N-No, thank you."

Uta paused for a moment and then released the boy. "Must be great for you to have a place like Anteiku."

"Oooh, so you live at Anteiku...Do you work there with Touka-chan?" Akiko asked and then took a step towards the boy.

"Y-Yes," Kaneki said.

Another step was taken. "Are you in school like Touka-chan?"

"Y-Yes but...I'm in college."

Another step. "First year?"

"Y-yes."

Another step. "What major?"

"L-Literature."

Another step. "You like books?"

"V...Very much."

Another step. "Who is your favorite author?"

"I-I like-"

"Ki-chan," Uta said calmly as he interrupted her rapid fire questions. She was practically nose to nose with the boy and Uta had to pull Kaneki back in order to wedge himself in between the two. She raised her head to look directly up at him, her chin grazing the front of his shirt as she did so. His narrowed red eyes met her rounded blue ones.

"Am I disturbing your work?" she asked innocently.

"Yes," he said.

"Okay. One last question?"

He paused but his expression remained unmoved. "Fine."

She leaned to the side so she can look around the shopkeeper. "Kaneki-san. May I draw you?"

"Oh...Uh...Sure?"

Akiko's smile crinkled up her eyes and she flopped down on Uta's vacated seat. She opened up her notebook right in the middle and began to scribble. She didn't even bother to turn around and use the desk. She just started to draw right on her lap with her shoulders hunched over and some tendrils of hair falling over her face.

"Sit over there," Uta said to Kaneki. He pointed to a chair situated between two mannequins at the center of the store, "I'll take your measurements."

Kaneki dutifully followed orders and he sat very still while the mask maker circled around him like a hawk. Kaneki wasn't sure what to make of both Uta and Akiko. What was really curious to Kaneki, though, was that even though the latter had asked to draw him, she didn't look back up at him once. He couldn't help but stare at the top of her head, fully expecting her to look up at any moment to study his face.

"Ignore her," Uta said as he walked over to his work desk. He took his own advice and leaned right over the girl and grabbed a large sketchbook resting on the desk. He returned to Kaneki's side and he began to draw as well. "Do you have any allergies?"

"Huh?" Kaneki's sat up even straighter in his seat, "Oh...No."

"What about rubber or metal?"

"They're fine."

"You want this full face?"

"Um...I-"

"It's your first one...so maybe a half-mask, instead..." Uta said and then leaned down to study Kaneki at a lower angle.

"...Oh..." Kaneki wasn't sure how he found himself in another round of rapid fire questions but somehow, even though she had smiled at him the entire time, Kaneki found Uta's attention less intense.

"The eye patch is cute," Uta stated, "Do you like them?"

"Oh...um, when I get hungry, it turns red...Regardless of whether or not I want it to," Kaneki said and pulled down his eyepatch to show Uta that both eyes were fully functioning.

"You know, you could always just fill up." Uta reached into his pocket and pulled out an eyeball, "Here. Care for a snack?"

Kaneki jerked back and his seat waddled a bit from his sudden jolt. "Th-that's okay."

Uta stood up and licked the eyeball casually. "Do you have a girlfriend or anything?"

"Huh? No, I don't."

"You're one of those, you know," Uta said thoughtfully, "Those guys who get more attention from older ladies than from those of your own generation."

Kaneki scratched the side of his face. "U-Um...Do these questions have to do with anything?"

"Yes," Uta said as he went back to his desk and pulled out a drawer full of tools. He took out a measuring tape and he paused only for a second to look over at Akiko, who had started to hum as she drew. His expression softened for just a moment and then he turned back to the task at hand, "I feel more motivated if I get to know you better."

Uta grabbed a stool that rested next to his desk and sat himself behind Kaneki. "What about Touka-san? What do you think of her?"

Kaneki shot a nervous glance at Touka, who was across the room and eyeing a red mask inside a glass case. "She's...She's kind of scary," Kaneki admitted.

"Scary? You find her scary?" Touka asked and then moved Kaneki's head so that he was looking directly forward, "I find her to be a hard worker."

"A hard worker?" Kaneki repeated and felt the measuring tape against the sides of his head.

"For us to blend into human society," Uta explained, "We need to have a mask that we never take off. If we're suspected for even a moment, we're done for...So we have to conduct ourselves seamlessly enough that we don't become too involved. Touka-san lives her life accepting that risk. Her work at Anteiku...and even going to school..."

"What reason could she have for being so involved with people?" Kaneki wondered out loud.

"That's a good question," Uta said as he stood up from his chair and wrote down the measurements in the corner of the sketches he had already begun to make on Kaneki's mask. Then he looked around his shop, "But then...When I get the occasional human customer...my pulse races...right here." His hand reached up to touch his neck, "It's hard to explain but it's enjoyable."

His fingers then left his pulse and they traced the words inked beneath them. He didn't have to see himself in the mirror to know exactly where the lettering was. His eyes drifted over to the woman sitting in his chair, the one who gave him the same sensation he was describing. "What do you think of her then?" he asked quietly.

"Her? A-...Akiko-san?" Kaneki asked as he followed Uta's gaze, "I...I think she's nice...Friendly..."

"Oh," Uta whispered as he sat back down in his seat, "I find _her_ to be scary."

Kaneki blinked. "Her?"

As if she knew she was the subject of their conversation, Akiko finally looked up but she had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She held up her notebook over her head with the pages pointing outwards for all to see. "All done!" she sang and fluttered her legs out in front of her.

Touka was the only person who came over to see her finished work since Kaneki wasn't sure if Uta was done with him and the mask maker seemed to be uninterested at Akiko's declaration. However, a sudden snort coming from the girl seemed to change that entirely. Uta glanced up from his sketchbook and looked over at Touka, who had a hand clamped over her mouth and snickering against it.

"What? What's so funny?" Kaneki asked.

Akiko gave Touka the notebook and the girl brought it over to the guys. "She drew you as a pathetic little puppy."

Kaneki gaped at the drawing of a small puppy with big, floppy ears and a small eyepatch over one eye. The other eye was big and round, full of fear and confusion. It was drawn sitting up with it's legs held tightly to it's side and it's tail up and alert.

Akiko pouted. "It's not pathetic...I think it's cute. It just needs a little guidance that's all."

"No...No wonder she didn't look up at me once," Kaneki said, "You...You weren't sketching me at all."

"I can if you want," Akiko offered, "I just prefer to draw animals over people."

"Ki-chan is an illustrator," Uta explained and then reached over Kaneki's shoulder so he could flip the page in the notebook so they could see some of Akiko's other works. They were all animals with different expressions and accessories. An angry cow with a top hat. A laughing giraffe with an umbrella. An annoyed monkey with a basket of groceries, "For children's books."

"Eh?!"

Kaneki's widened eyes scanned over the drawings once more. Now that Uta had pointed it out, her artistic stylings seemed familiar to him. He must've seen some of her work displayed at the bookstore. Kaneki glanced back at the artist, who was starting to spin around and around in Uta's chair with her arms up like a child. Her notebook and most recent artwork seemed to be the last thing on her mind now.

"But...Akiko-san...She's a ghoul too, right?" Kaneki asked quietly.

Uta nodded. "Yes. She too has a mask that she never takes off."


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch 3 - Vague & Brash**

"A-Akiko-san?!"

Blue eyes peered over the top of a large, wooden drawing board and then the board lowered, revealing a bright smile when she recognized, who had suddenly dashed from across the street and called out to her in a shaky manner.

"Kaneki-san? Do you wish to play too?" she asked as she sat on a park bench with her drawing board on her lap and a stack of sketches and coloring pencils scattered next to her leg. Two children, who were playing near the slide on a playset, paused to turn and look curiously at Kaneki as he approached the illustrator.

"Play?" Kaneki asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his white button down.

Akiko raised her pencil and poked the front of it towards the second story window of Anteiku. "I saw you earlier. You've been looking down at me for a while. I thought maybe you wanted to skip work and play in the park with me," she said and then her gaze wandered over to the children. She smiled thoughtfully at them and then returned to her drawing. "Or...are you afraid I wasn't here to play?"

Her whispered question sent chills down Kaneki's spine. It was true that he felt uneasy knowing that a ghoul was sitting in a park where human children were playing so innocently nearby, which is why he had been looking at her ever since he noticed her from the coffee shop window. However, that was not the reason why he came to her.

"Don't worry. I mean them no harm, Kaneki-san. I would never touch a child," Akiko whispered as she switched her black pencil for a soft, pink one, "...Or take a bite out of one."

"Eh?" Kaneki gasped. "Akiko-san...Aren't you speaking a bit too frankly?"

"No one is paying attention to me. I am just an artist, honing my skill in a park," Akiko said, "If anything, you're the one drawing attention to yourself. Acting so jumpy and nervous for no reason. At least sit down next to me and act like you are somewhat comfortable speaking with me."

"Oh..." Kaneki gulped and dutifully obliged, "A-Actually, Akiko-san...I was asked by the Manager to come get you, now that we're closing shop."

Akiko's drawing board flattened right on her lap and she rested her pencil against it. "Yoshimura-san asked for me?" she asked with sudden seriousness and alertness towards Kaneki that he jerked back instinctively.

He nodded and Akiko quickly got to her feet, ignoring the loose pages that fluttered to her feet.

"Okay," was all she said before dashing off and leaving Kaneki in the park to gather all her things, her purse included.

By the time he arrived back at the coffee shop, both the Manager and Akiko were nowhere to be found. Instead, he was only greeted by the stone cold stare of Touka, who was in the middle of wiping down the counter.

Touka gave a heavy sigh and her shoulders slumped when she saw what Kaneki was holding haphazardly in his arms. "Akiko-san really hasn't changed at all...Ugh...Just leave it on a table and go call Yomo-san. Let him know she's here and ask him if we should tell Uta-san."

Kaneki gingerly dropped everything into a pile on a circular table near the entrance and he looked at Touka in surprise. "Yomo-san? Why him?"

 _Bang!_

"Tch. Just hurry up and do it!" Touka snapped as she banged her fist against the counter, "It's too complicated for me to explain it to you right now."

"Y-Yes!' Kaneki leapt into action and he pulled out his phone but before he could even scroll through his contacts, the bell at the front door rang out.

 _Ding! Ding! Ding!_

"Ah, sorry. We're closed-" Kaneki started to say but then he stopped when he realized it was Yomo-san himself, who had just entered, "Yomo-san! We were just about to call you. Akiko-san is-"

"Here," Yomo said as he eyes drifted over to the messy pile on the table. He rubbed his neck and he closed his eyes as if to brace for something large to hit him.

"I wanted to check with you before we called Uta-san," Touka said.

"No. Don't tell him," Yomo sighed, "It'll only upset him and it'll make things messier than it already is."

"That's what I thought," Touka said.

"Erm...What...What's going on? Why aren't we telling Uta-san? I thought he and Akiko-san are a couple...Is that not the case?" Kaneki asked.

"They are...but they're not at the same time...Their relationship is...temperamental," Yomo said slowly, "They both have things in their lives that they value and cannot give up while the other cannot understand nor bring themselves to accept."

"And...Yoshimura-san is discussing one of those things with Akiko-san right now?" Kaneki asked.

Yomo nodded. "They both have agreed to mutually turn a blind eye to each other's lives in order to continue being apart of it. If we bring this information to Uta, it'll just cause him trouble."

The door to the staff area opened and Akiko came skipping out with Yoshimura trailing behind her. She paused when she spotted Yomo and she practically launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and letting him catch her by the waist.

"NIIISANNN" she squealed, "Spin! Spin! Spin!"

A soft smile grew on Yomo's face and he started to twirl her around as if she was a child.

"Ah! I'm dizzy! I'm dizzy!" she laughed and instantly, he came to a halt. Her feet hovered just above the floorboards as she grinned right up at him, "I haven't seen you in so long! Did you know that I've been gone a _year_?! I thought it was only a few months. Why didn't you tell me I've been gone this long?"

"Sorry," was all Yomo could say while he eased her down to a standing position but kept his hands on her waist and a smile on his face, "You look well, Akiko. Welcome back."

"Niisan?" Kaneki gasped, "I didn't realize they were-"

"They're not," Touka interrupted and folded her arms across her chest, "They just go way back and are really close."

 _Ding! Ding! Ding!_

"Ki-chan," Uta stated blankly from the doorway. Neither Akiko nor Yomo made any attempts to hide or change their current position and the woman smiled brightly at the mask maker.

"Are you finally done with work?" Akiko asked.

"No. I'm taking a break," Uta said and he held out his heavily inked hand towards her, "Let's go play."

Akiko giggled and she quickly moved from Yomo to Uta. "Where are we going?"

"Oy. Akiko," Yomo said and then gave a pointed nod at the table, "Don't forget your things."

"Oh yeah!" Akiko laughed as she scampered over and started to collect everything except the papers into her purse.

Uta walked over and he gave a casual glance across the various drawings. Something caught his eye and he pushed a few pages out of the way to reveal a portrait of a child with a solemn expression on his delicate face. His hair was short and black with the sides shaved down and he had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his baggy pants. Uta looked over at Akiko, who was still in the middle of organizing her bag.

Uta smoothly slid the portrait off the table and crumpled it into a ball. If Akiko noticed, she did not show it in any way.

"Uta...I'll throw it out for you," Yomo said.

"Ah. Thanks," Uta said, tossing the ball of paper over his shoulder.

"Okay. I'm ready," Akiko sang out as she slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and smiled at Uta, "Let's go play."

Uta stared at her for a second and then he reached out, cupping her from behind her head and then pulling her to his chest. "Yah...Let's go play..." he said softly as he watched Yomo throw the portrait into the garbage bin. Uta kissed the top of Akiko's head and then loosened his grip so she could slide to his side while keeping her head still resting against his shoulder.

"Bye, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow!" Akiko giggled and gave everyone a small wave.

"You're coming back here tomorrow?" Uta asked, "You're not going to stay in the shop with me?"

Akiko looked up at him. "If I tell you, you'll only get upset."

Uta stopped right at the door and he turned to look at Yomo...and then the Manager. "Is that so...?" he asked slowly.

The collar of Kaneki's white button down was starting to feel really tight as his head ping-ponged between Uta and the Manager, who kept calm expressions on their face. Even Touka was starting to sweat and Kaneki had no idea what to make of the thick tension in the air.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Akiko-chan," Yoshimura said with a slight bow at the waist.

"Ah. I'm looking forward to it," Akiko responded without hesitation.

"Come on..." Uta said, "Let's go, Ki-chan."

As the door closed behind the couple, Touka sank down onto one of the counter stools and Kaneki did the same with a nearby chair.

"Whew. Close one," Touka sighed, "Are Uta-san and Akiko-san going to fight again?"

"Again? They've fought before?" Kaneki asked.

"Why'd you think Akiko left in the first place a year go?" Touka sighed.

"Oh..." Kaneki said.

"Good thing Akiko didn't see Uta crumple up that portrait. That's another fight I don't want to witness again," Touka admitted.

"What was that drawing? I thought...I thought Akiko-san only drew animals," Kaneki asked.

"She only does an actual portrait of one person and one person only," Yoshimura said as he went over to the garbage and retrieved said drawing. He smoothed it out on the counter and then carefully folded it into quarters. He placed it safely in his pocket and he smiled at Yomo, "I'll give it back to her when she comes back tomorrow. After all, it's an important picture."

"Who is that person?" Kaneki asked.

Yoshimura patted his pocket as if that would reveal the contents of the portrait once more. "That...that would be her and Uta-kun's child...Or at least, what she imagines he or she would look like if he was still living today."

"What?" Kaneki gasped.

"Yoshimura-san!" Yomo couldn't help but shout and the Manager smiled apologetically at the man.

"I'm sorry for revealing her private affairs but Kaneki-kun will find out eventually...especially with Akiko-chan helping out here for the next couple of days. Would you rather he find out by Akiko-chan's vague and brash delivery?"

"Come...," Yomo sighed as he headed downstairs and motioned for Kaneki to follow him, "I'll explain everything while we train."


End file.
